Side-mounted support

ABSTRACT

Mounting means is provided for a glass panel which is part of a handrail unit; the mounting means being adapted for flush mounting on the overhung side of the structure which supports the mounting means so that the top edge thereof is flush with the upper surface of the supporting structure.

United States Patent William J. l-lorgan, Jr. Pittsburgh, Pa. 47,022 June 17, 1970 Dec. 28, 1971 I Bhuncralt of Pittsburgh, Pa.

Inventor App]. No. Filed Patented Assignee SIDE-MOUNTED SUPPORT 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl...

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,468,516 9/1969 Jounot 256/24 3,358,969 12/1967 Blum et al. 256/24 3,321,059 5/1967 Kroepel.... 256/24 X 2,900,750 8/1959 Buelow 248/488 X Primary Examiner-Dennis L, Taylor Attorney-Paul & Paul ABSTRACT: Mounting means is provided for a glass panel which is part of a handrail unit; the mounting means being adapted for flush mounting on the overhung side of the structure which supports the mounting means so that the top edge thereof is flush with the upper surface of the supporting structure.

wee

Patentd Dec. 28, 1971 INVENTOR.

William J. H0rg0n,Jr.

7 k N \\N\\ ATTORN EYS SIDE-MOUNTED SUPPORT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to ornamental railings, and more particularly, to a mounting means for ornamental glass railings of the type shown in my prior US. Pat. No. 3,358,969 issued Dec. 19, l967. As shown in that patent a variety of mounting means can be used for railings having glass panels. The mounting means shown in FIGS. 13 through 15, however, are not adaptable to being mounted flush with the supporting surface so that carpet or other floor covering can be applied up to the face of the glass panel. It is desirable to provide such a mounting means so as to create the ornamental illusion of having the panel rise from the surface without any visual means of support. Accordingly, I have invented a new side-mounted support means for glass panels of the type described which provides this desirable end result.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My improvement in a mounting means for glass panels comprises a first member adaptable for mounting to the side of a supporting structure, a second member interfitted with the first member and adaptable to be securely fastened thereto to form therewith a means to receive a support means for the glass panel andadapted to be securely fastened to the support means which embraces the glass panel; the entire assembly being positionable onthe supporting structure so that the upper surface of the support means is flush with the upper surface of the supporting structure.

In the most preferred embodiments, means are provided for inserting wooden strips inthe upper surface of the support means whereby carpeting or the like can be suitably adhered or affixed to the support means. Further, the upper surface of the support means which lies outwardly from the glass panel remote from the structural support is adapted to receive capped means which may be either level with the structural support or level with the carpeting or other material laid on the upper surface of the structural support.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved mounting means for side mounting and supporting a glass panel type handrail to gain improved architectural effects.

This and other objects of my invention will become apparent from the description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my new invention shown in assembled condition mounted on a structural support and being in combination with a portion of a glass panel and showing a carpet laid on top of the structural support; and

FIG. 2 is an elevation in section showing in greater detail the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, in its environment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Although specific forms of the invention have been selected for illustration in the drawings, and the following description is drawn in specific terms for the purpose of describing these forms of the invention, this description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the figures, a side-mounting means in accordance with the preferred embodiment of this invention is shown in perspective mounted on a supporting structure l0, which for purposes of illustrating the environment is shown as a concrete slab proximate to a stairway. This invention is used on slabs or the like which are cantilevered or otherwise supported to extend outwardly from the wall of the building thereby necessitating a handrail along the outer edge thereof. This invention is particularly directed to handrail of the type having a glass panel as part of the handrail unit. Such a panel is shown at 12 in FIG. 1 and normally would have a wooden or wood and metal portion along the top edge (not shown) for purposes of gripping the handrail. In such a unit it is desirable from an architectural standpoint to provide a means for mounting the glass panel so that it appears to rise out of the structure without additional external support. My invention side-mounted means accomplishes this purpose, for, as will be noted from FIG. 1, the carpet 14 which extends along the upper surface of the slab 10 also extends along the upper surface of the support means right up to the face of the glass.

The side-mounted means is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. Here it will be noted that the slab 10 has a plate 16 preferably embedded therein extending longitudinally. This plate is fixed in the slab at the time it is poured, by any suitable anchor means (not shown), but well known in the art.

The first portion 18 of my mounting means is a longitudinally extending metal plate most preferably having a flange 20 longitudinally extending from one face thereof intermediate the longitudinal edges. The plate has a beveled upper edge as at 22 and a longitudinal flange extending from the same face as at 24 along the loweredge thereof. The section through the plate is made as unifonn as possible and accordingly, a countersunk hole is used along the upper portion thereof to accept a bolt 26, while any type of bolt such as that shown at 28 can be used to pass through the lower portion thereof. A plurality of such bolts are used along the length of this portion to fix it to the mounting plate 16. It will be apparent from the disclosure that the portion 18 can be set very accurately insofar as its height relative to the supporting structure is concerned by drilling'and tapping the holes in the plate 16 just prior to assembly, thereby taking upany inaccuracies which may have occurred in the rough fabrication of the structural slab. It is known that it is common to have variations occurring when concrete is poured in the construction of, for example, commercial buildings.

The second portion 30 of my mounting means comprises a longitudinally extending plate again having a longitudinally extending inwardly depending flange 32 intermediate the longitudinal edges, which preferably overlies the flange 20, and a beveled upper surface 34, and an inwardly extending longitudinal terminal flange 36 along the bottom edge. As can be seen the flanges 36 and 24 mate to form a level exterior uniform surface. The interfitted flanges 32 and 20 are fixedly connected by means of the bolt 38 which is threaded therethrough, to form an assembled side mounting for reception of the support means for the glass panel.

The support means is similar to that disclosed in my prior patent (referred to above) and includes a longitudinally extending T-shaped member having a slot passing through the top thereof and extending downwardly into the stem of the T for reception of the glass 12. The glass is suitably secured to the stem 42 in any suitable manner well known in the art. The cross portion of the T is provided with clearance holes through and along both sides whereby bolts 44 and 46 can be inserted therethrough and threaded into the upper portions of the portions 18 and 30 to fixedly attach the glass panel support means to the assembled members. The heads of these bolts preferably lie in slots 48 and 50 so that they are below the upper surface of the support. These slots are longitudinally extending andrectangular in cross section and are provided for the purpose of inserting either caps or strips of wood as shown. The wood strip 52 is'inserted for an installation wherein the carpet 14 is to extend over the top of the support means. This strip is closely fitted into the slot and is preferably cemented in place to provide a very firm and fixed substructure upon which to mount carpet or other flooring.

A variety of uses can be made of the slot 48 in the outboard upper surface of the support most remote from the slab. A flush-mounted'cap can be inserted therein so that the upper surface is flush with and reads straight across with the slab. Alternatively, as shown in the figures, a spacer strip 54 can be inserted and suitably affixed as by means of an adhesive in the slot 48. Disposed about the spacer strip is the upper cap portion 56 of a facia 58. The cap merely fits over and embraces the strip 54 and the facia 58 can extend down as far as desired. Between the cap and the glass, any suitable filler material 60 is provided, such as a rubber strip or a compound, so long as it preserves the general theme of a mounting flush with the upper surface of the carpet.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangement of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of this invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

lt will further be understood that the Abstract of the Disclosure" set forth above is intended to provide a nonlegal technical statement of the contents of the disclosure in compliance with the Rules of Practice of the U.S. Patent Office, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention described and claimed herein.

What is claimed is:

l. A side-mounted support means for fixedly attaching a glass panel portion of a handrailing to the side of an overhung supporting structure, comprising: an inverted F-shaped bracket having transverse holes through the stern thereof for reception of mounting hardware to mount said bracket to said overhung supporting structure; a complimentally configured bracket having a lower flange transversely extending from a stem portion to engage the lower flange of the inverted F- shaped bracket so that the outer surfaces thereof are coplanar, and an upper transverse flange extending in overlying relation with the upper flange of said inverted F-shaped bracket, said upper flanges having a hole therein for reception of fastening hardware; fastening hardware in the hole in said upper flanges holding the brackets together; a panel support for said glass panel innerfitted between the upwardly extending stems of said brackets comprising a T-shaped member having a longitudinally extending slot in the upper surface thereof for reception of the glass panel and at least one longitudinally extending slot in the upper surface of the cross portion thereof; attachment means attaching said cross portions to said stems for mounting said T-shaped member on said brackets; and a longitudinally extending insert in said slot in the upper surface of said cross portion.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said insert has an upper surface flush with the upper surface of the cross portion of said T-shaped member.-

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said insert extends above the surface of said T-shaped member and a facia member extends along one side of the stem of said complimentally configured bracket and embraces the extension of said insert.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said insert extending above the surface of said T-shaped member is disposed on the cross portion of said T-shaped member on the opposite side of said glass panel from the inverted F-shaped bracket and is spaced from said glass panel, and a portion of the facia member embracing said extending insert lies between said insert and said glass panel; and a filler member is provided between said glass panel and said last-mentioned portion of said facia member. 

1. A side-mounted support means for fixedly attaching a glass panel portion of a handrailing to the side of an overhung supporting structure, comprising: an inverted F-shaped bracket having transverse holes through the stem thereof for reception of mounting hardware to mount said bracket to said overhung supporting structure; a complimentally configured bracket having a lower flange transversely extending from a stem portion to engage the lower flange of the inverted F-shaped bracket so that the outer surfaces thereof are coplanar, and an upper transverse flange extending in overlying relation with the upper flange of said inverted F-shaped bracket, said upper flanges having a hole therein for reception of fastening hardware; fastening hardware in the hole in said upper flanges holding the brackets together; a panel support for said glass panel innerfitted between the upwardly extending stems of said brackets comprising a T-shaped member having a longitudinally extending slot in the upper surface thereof for reception of the glass panel and at least one longitudinally extending slot in the upper surface of the cross portion thereof; attachment means attaching said cross portions to said stems for mounting said T-shaped member on said brackets; and a longitudinally extending insert in said slot in the upper surface of said cross portion.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said insert has an upper surface flush with the upper surface of the cross portion of said T-shaped member.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said insert extends above the surface of said T-shaped member and a facia member extends along one side of the stem of said complimentally configured bracket and embraces the extension of said insert.
 4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said insert extending above the surface of said T-shaped member is disposed on the cross portion of said T-shaped member on the opposite side of said glass panel from the inverted F-shaped bracket and is spaced from said glass panel, and a portion of the facia member embracing said extending insert lies between said insert and said glass panel; and a filler member is provided between said glass panel and said last-mentioned portion of said facia member. 